Sterility in Dog Females

• The age of the female: it is precise to be past puberty in order to gestate a litter: the age of puberty varies in function of different dogs and breeds.
• The absence of heat: normal and regular cycles can be produced and then an interruption of these cycles.
• Heats that are too close to each other: they appear every 3 months, but the dog is sterile.
• The infections: a gynecological exam is indispensable before mating.
• Mating: this stage does not evolve correctly due to the pain of the male or the female, inexperience, bad timing or psychological problems.

Sterility in Male Dogs

There are three reasons:

• The psychology: the male can lack enough experience, be under a lot of stress, fatigue or can have bad memories.
• The hyposexuality: the male does not feel attracted to the female in heat. There is no erection, or the erection produced is not sufficient. The lack of development of the sexual organs, which usually results from consanguinity.
• The azoospermia: the amount of sperms produced is not sufficient. Several things can decrease the production of sperm, previous infections, insufficient maturity and not giving the dog enough time to produce more sperm. A spermogram will have to be conducted.

Review: The Dog's Reproduction in Questions
At what age do females get their first heat? It appears, depending on the breed, anytime between 6 weeks to 15 months. The smaller breeds are more premature than the larger ones. The female's vulva increases in volume and there is some blood loss. Since that moment the female is an adult and can be fertilized. We should never interrupt that heat because the dog can suffer an infection.

Can she be fertilized after the first heat? Yes, but it is precise to be careful because the female is sometimes too young to gestate. If we wish to get her pregnant we should wait until her third cycle. A litter of puppies before the female is two and a half years old can be risky.

How long does heat last? It lasts about 3 weeks.

How often does it happen? There are two periods a year; normally they are separated by six months. The intervals can be from 8 to 5 months depending on the animals. Females that have been raised together usually get their heat at the same time.

Are there stations in which heat is more likely to appear? No, heat can appear during the whole year.

Is the female more fragile during this period? In fact, they are more sensitive to infections, especially urinary and genital ones. It is preferably to avoid washing then during those times.

What should I do if the cycles are too irregular? It is precise to ask a veterinarian, who will test the dog and then establish if there is or isn't an anomaly.

Is there such thing as menopause in dogs? No, dogs have their periods for their lives and will be able to have puppies even if they are old. Even though it would not be the best thing to do because labor can be very risky in old dogs.

When does the male go through his heat? At the same time as females. They can be in permanent heat if there are females in heat around him. Male puberty is done when they are about 6 months old.

Are there ways to prevent females from being in heat? There are two types of contraception: the hormonal kind and the surgical kind. The contraceptive ones can be administered orally in the form of tablets or injections. The pills are used a bit before the female gets her heat, while the shots are used once every 6 months. We would have to do this after the first heat of course; otherwise we can cause a uterine infection. Surgical contraceptives are called sterilization. Gestation FAQ